Flush valve guide



1961 A. J. RICHARDSON ETAL 3,005,991

FLUSH VALVE GUIDE Filed July 25, 1960 -h I 5x 2 30 I I 32 A E 2 5 :2 l0

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United States atent O 3,005,991 FLUSH VALVE GUIDE Andrew J. Richardson, 227 Ave. Q, and Vernon L. Williams, 3516 23rd St., both of Lubbock, Tex. Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 45,206 Claims. (Cl. 4-57) This invention pertains to closet tanks, and more particularly to flush valves for closet tanks.

One of the more frequently replaced parts of closet tanks is the flush valve and guide therefor. Generally there is a vertical tube extending from adjacent the flush valve seat. This tube provides the convenient attachment for the element which guides the valves onto the valve seat. However, the diameter of these tubes and the spacing of the axis of these tubes to the center line of the valve seat varies somewhat between tanks of diiferent design. Also the distance from the bottom of the tube to the top of the valve seat is not standard,

An object of this invention is to provide an improved flush valve guide.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flush valve guide which is easy to adjust and install.

A further object is to provide a flush valve guide which is radially adjustable for diiferently dimensioned tanks.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompany ing drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of this invention.

'FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the annulus.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the annulus.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

As seen in the accompanying drawing, the invention is designed to be used in connection with a standard closet tank. Parts of a standard closet tank include valve seat with valve 12 upon the seat. The valve is attached to a chain or cord 14 which is a lifter for the valve.

Tube 16 is adjacent to the seat and coaxial therewith, which is vertical. The tube is an over-flow tube and is connected to the outlet from the valve seat below it. The tube provides a convenient location to attach the guide for the valve so that it is guided back onto the seat after each operation.

According to this invention split annulus 18 encircles the tube at an elevation above the seat. The annulus has a split and two wedge elements 20 extend from either side of the split. The wedge elements are spaced apart and have a radially elongated slot 22 between them. Abutments are on either end of the elements so that the amount that the slots can move together is limited. The outside of the wedge elements are defined by plane surfaces which slope upward and outward.

Wedge member 24 has sloping surfaces which contact and co-act with the surfaces of the wedge elements. The wedge member is somewhat U-shaped in cross section as seen in FIG. 5. The wedge member has a vertical hole through the lower part through which extends bolt 26. The head of the bolt is recessed in the bottom of the wedge member to prevent it from rotating when wing nut 28 is tightened or loosened. The bolt extends through the slot and it, with a washer and the nut,fprovides means for moving the wedge member and wedge element together. The movement of these elements together securely clamps one to the other, as well as clamps the annulus to the tube. The wedge element can be adjusted radially along slot 22 from the tube and thus, will provide an adjustment to center the valve over the valve seat. Pivot pin 30 extends horizontally through the wedge member and through bifurcations 32 of arm 34. Thus, the arm is pivoted into the wedge member.

One of the bifurcations extends on either side of the wedge member and the tube to cross bar 36 connecting the bifurcations together, Through the center of this cross bar extends a vertical hole by which the valve is attached to the arm. The arm extends below the annulus when the valve is closed. Sometimes the connection of the tube to the bottom of the tank is such that the annulus cannot be lowered to an elevation as low as the valve seat. It is possible to use this guide in almost all installations because of the high elevation of the annulus.

We prefer to make all elements of the valve guide from plastic except the nut and bolt and pivot pin which are preferably constructed of brass or other non-corrosive metal.

To install, the valve is dropped onto the valve seat without eye bolt 38 attached. The guids is assembled with the wing nut loose. The annulus is slipped over the tube. The annulus is adjusted to the correct height and angular relationship on the tube so that the hole in the cross bar registers over the hole in the valve, The Wedge member can be adjusted radially easily so that the holes register and the arm is level. Then the wing nut is tightened and the eye bolt and lifter cord 14 attached to the valve. This completes the simple installation.

It will be apparent that the embodiment shown is only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction, materials, and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a closet tank having a tube, an adjacent valve seat, a valve on the seat, and a lifter for the valve; the improved valve guide comprising: an arm attached at one end to the valve, a wedge member, the other end of the arm pivoted to the wedge member, a split annulus encircling the tube, the annulus having wedge elements extending therefrom, the wedge elements contacting and cooperating with the wedge member so that as they are moved together the annulus is clamped to the tube, and means for moving the wedge member and Wedge elements together.

. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the wedge elements are spaced apart thus forming a slot therebetween, wherein the wedge member has a hole therein, and the means for moving the wedge member and wedge elements together includes a bolt through the hole and slot.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the slot is elongated radially from the annulus so that the wedge member may be radially adjusted from the annulus.

Patented on. 31', 1961 4. The invention as defined in claim .1 wherein the arm is bifurcated with a bifurcation passing on either side --of the tube.

5. In a closet tank having a vertically aligned tube, an adjacent valve seat, a valve on the seat, and a lifter for the valve; the improved Valve guide comprising: a split annulus encircling the tube, the annulus having two Wedge elements extending radially therefrom, the wedge elements having external planes sloping outward and upward, a radially elongated slot extending from the slit and between the wedge elements, a wedge member having sloping planes contacting the wedge element planes, the wedge member having a vertical hole therein, a bolt extending through the hole and slot to clamp the member and element together thus clamping the annulus to the tub'e, ahead on the bolt recessed in "the bottom of the member to 'prevent rotation thereof, and .a bi furcated a'rm pivoted to -the member, a bifurcation -ex tending on either side'of the tube and member, the valve 2,754,522 Earsley July 17, 1956 2,897,255 Gesellschap July 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 789,455 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Schwarz: German application 1,019,266, printed November 14., 1957 (K150 10/01), 1 sht. dwg., 2 pp. spec, 248/354.

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